Tooth cleaner



A a-i150, 1926. 1,581,501

A. E. WRIGHT TOOTH CLEANER Filed March 11, 1925 W5 $0 Qp o INVENTOR 4'. Wzwaur Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. WRIGHT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

TOOTH CLEANER.

Application filed March 11, 1925. Serial No. 14,838.

The present invention relates to improvements in cleaners for the teeth of the human mouth.

. w The general object of the invention is the provision of a simple, efficient and comparatively inexpensive form of cleaner constructed so as to effectively remove foreign substances from the cervices of the teeth and from the intervening space between adjacent teeth and, at the same time, operate to clean and polish the teeth.

Another object resides in the provison of a cleaner inherently adapted againstinflicting accidental injury to the gums in such manner as would produce lesions therein and thereby render the injured areas susceptible of becoming inoculated with the bacteria of the mouth. Z

Other objects will appear and be better understood from that embodiment of the invention of which the following is a specification. In this connection reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete device.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

Figure 3 is a plan view showing adjacent teeth in transverse section when the device is in use.

Figure 4 shows a diagram of a portion of the upper row of teeth; also the device in longitudinal section and its position with respect to the teeth when in use.

Figure 5 is a detail front elevation of the base, and I Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3, but shows a different portion of the device inserted into the space between the adjacent teeth.

The device of the present invention comprises a base 5 which is by preference relatively rigid and formed of absorptive material as, for instance, wood.. In the-present instance the said base is formed of a single piece of veneer which is oblong in contour and cross section and terminates at one end ina centrally disposed reduced extension constituting a pick 6. The opposite end of the base is provided with oppositely disposed re-entrant surfaces 7 and 8, the presence of which results in the provision of three pointed edges designated respectively by 9, 10 and 11. The surfaces 7 and 8 extend on curved lines from the intermediate pointor edge 10 to the lateral points or edges 9 and 11. The

curvatures of the surfaces are such that, as,

viewed in Figures 1 and 5, the intermediate point or edge 10 is disposed above the planes of the edges 9 and 11 whereby the said intermediate point oredge 10 projects beyond the points or edges 9 and 11 when the device is in use as shown in Figures 3, t and 6.

The curvatures of the surfaces 7 and, 8 are such as Wlll correspond approxnnately to the transverse curvature of a tooth and the distances between the points or edges 9 andv 10 and 10 and 11 are such that the said surfaces may bebrought to bear on adjacent segments of adjacent teeth simultaneously when the point or edge 10 is directed into the intervening space between said teeth. will, of course, be understood that the point or edge 10 is sufficiently narrow or thin to permit of its being introduced into the space between the adjacent teeth when the device is adjusted with respect to the teeth as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

From the foregoing it is'obvious that the point or edge 10 is ideally adapted for removing foreign substances from the space between adjacent teeth and that the presence of the outer or lateral points or edges 9 and 11 permit of easily removing particles of food from between the teeth located further back in the mouth, in that either of these edges may be readily directed into the spaces between the back teeth when the device is inserted into the mouth and held substantially at a tangent to the row of teeth. In this way the use of the device when operating in connection with the back teeth does not require dilation of the mouth to any great extent. In this connection it will be observed that the distance between the edges 9 and 11 is relatively short and that the sides 12 and 13 of the base 5 extend on lines of compound curvature so that a relatively narrow area 1a is provided between the opposite sides of the body by the inward curving of the opposite sides thereat. Whenopera'tingon the back teeth this area 1A willfbe at one of the corners Cir of the mouth so that by virtue of the restricted width at this pointstretching of the mouth in order to accommodate the device will not be necessary.

Referring now to Figure 5, it will be noted that the base 5 is provided with an area 15 which extends inwardly from the surfaces 7 and 8 and transversely of the base. This area is impregnated with a material which becomes plastic when subjected to the heat of the mouth in using the device. The function the material is two-fold in that it provides a surface for rubbing and thereby polishing the teeth and as a carrier for a flavored dentifrice, Any suitable wax-like and gummy material may be used for this purpose. In practice I have found the use of paraflin as being ideal. When this substance is in a molten state, I combine therewith the dentifrice and then impregate the area 15 by inserting the base into the mixture. This operation results in the provision of a film or coating around the sides of the area 15 and on the surfaces 7 and 8. 16 and 17 indicate two pieces of light fibrous absorbent material such as blotting paper, which are contoured to correspond with the base 5 and completely cover the opposite faces of the base and extend from the surfaces 7 and 8 to the base of the point or pick 6. The coverings 16 and 17 may be secured to the base from a line inwardly beyond the impregnated area 15 by a suitable adhesive. Thus the areas overlying the impregnated area 15 will be unsecured except for whatever binding that may result from the presence of the parafiin on the opposite faces of the base.

In the use of the device thus far described and subsequent to the removal of particles of food from the spaces between the teeth by the edges 9, 10 and 11 and by the, pick or point 6 which is used to remove relative 1y formidable food deposits, the device may first be adjusted to the position shown in Figure 3 and moved bodily with an up and down movement over the adjacent teeth and in the space between the teeth indi cated by 18 and 19 in Figure 3. This action has the effect of polishing the teeth by means of the film of paraflin on the surfaces 7 and 8. Heat resulting from the friction set up by the presence of the teeth in addition to the heat of the mouth operates to soften the paraffin and render the same plastic so that the film on the surfaces 7 and 8 readily conforms to irregularities in the transverse curvatures of the teeth and, at the same time, there is applied to this the. dentifrice embodied with the paraiiin. In practice I prefer to employ a form of dentifrice which will function as a perfume for the mouth and additionally as an astringent, any of the well known compounds may be employed such as oil of intergreen, milk of magnesia and etc., combined with a triturated substance such as chalk. In this connection it will be observed that the paraffin acts as a carrier for the dentifrice and operates to liberate the same when softened by the heat of the mouth. Obviously there will be a slight excess of parafiin liberated to the surfaces 7 and 8 and the rubbing acticn will curve the free end edges of the paper strips as shown by 20 and 21 in Figure 4:, so that these portions 20 and 21 in addition to the presence of the extra amount of paraffin will constitute cushions.

The presence of the cushion on the upper side of the device as viewed in Figure at will preclude liability to accidental injury on the part of the device as it is moved upwardly into contact with the gum by reason of the interposition of the soft cushion 21 made up of paper and the excess paraffin.

From the foregoing it is obvious that the device may be effectively used for cleaning and polishing the entire surfaces of the teeth in that after the intervening space between two teeth and the adjacent segments are cleaned and polished, either of the surfaces 7 and 8 may be employed for working over the balance of the outer surface of either of the teeth. It will be observed that the device is simply and inexpensively constructed so that it may be discarded permanently after performing one opera tion on the various teeth. It will be observed that the construction is such that the sanitary properties imparted to the device in the manufacture thereof may be retained until it is put to use in the manner intended.

Although I have shown and described an ideal construction, it is obvious that modifications in point of choice of materials, proportions, etc., may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I reserve the right to the use of such alternatives as may properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tooth cleaner comprising a base having at one end surfaces adapted to bear transversely on adjacent teeth and further having located between the said surfaces means insertable into the space between the teeth and means permeating the said end portion and disposed over the said surfaces and over the said insertable means and adapted for cleaning and polishing the teeth.

2. A tooth cleaner comprising a base havingone end portion adapted to bear transversely on adjacent teeth and relatively rigid tooth cleaning and polishing means arranged on the said end portion and adapted to be rendered plastic by the heat of the mouth.

2 3. A tooth cleaner comprising a base havthe heat of the mouth and thereby conform to the transverse contours of adjacent teeth.

4. A tooth cleaner comprising a relatively rigid base having at one end thereof surfaces adapted to bear on adjacent teeth and further having located between the said surfaces means insertable into the space between the teeth and means permeating the said end portion and disposed over the said surfaces and over the insertable means and adapted to be rendered plastic by the heat of the mouth for cleaning and polishing the teeth.

5. A tooth cleaner comprisinga base of relatively rigid material having one end portion adapted to bear transversely on one or more of the teeth, tooth cleaning and polishing means arranged over the said end portion and adapted to be rendered plastic by the heat of the mouth and a strip of fibrous material disposed over one face of the said end portion and extending coincident with the edge thereof and adapted to be softened by the moisture of the mouth for the purpose described.

6. A tooth cleaner comprising a base having one end portion insertable into the space between adjacent teeth, a Wax like substance permeating the said insertable end portion, a dentifrice combined with the said Wax like substance, the said Wax like substance being adapted to become plastic When exposed to the heat of the mouth and to liberate the dentifrice.

ALBERT E. WRIGHT. 

